A Ledger Blog

A pathfinder's paradise for backpacking, hiking and Scouting.

There are three things boys dig about Scouting: They get to carry a knife (with proper instruction and strict rules). They get to shoot guns and arrows (with proper instruction, strict rules and adult supervision). They get to start fires (with strict rules and Leave No Trace principles). No outing is complete without a campfire, whether it’s for cooking food or entertainment. Flames always ignite the spirit and there’s something in every boy that creates rapt attention. My regular readers… Read More »

The weekend produced more happiness for another disabled person in Polk County as “MP Patrick” became part of the Heartland chapter’s very first “adaptive hike” held at Tiger Creek Preserve near Lake Wales. It was also the very first adaptive hike on Nature Conservancy property, according to host Melissa Aldridge. She and 16 others made their way through several miles of trails and got to see some wild pigs and a small herd of white tail deer. Aldridge, you will… Read More »

Step back in time to the late 60s and early 70s when the Boy Scouts of America had their “Scouting Rounds A Guy Out” image campaign. Remember the howls and snickers? Just look at some of the Scoutmasters and how well “rounded” they are. As most of my regular readers know, I have been an active supporter of the Boy Scout program, now spanning 40 years. I have fought for the dignity of the program, literally with my fists, when… Read More »

I categorized this ditty under “Wildlife”, but maybe it should be under a simpler category–”Wild”. A casual Saturday trek starting at the McNeil Tract of the Green Swamp West over in Dade City yielded an unexpected treasure: A simple plastic-coated poster calling out hikers to dial a number and leave a message in the 408 Area Code so a “BFRO investigator” could call back. That would be Santa Clara County, California and BFRO would be the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. My buddy,… Read More »

My friend, Tom Palmer from The Ledger, beat me to this story back in December, though I had stumbled upon Chris Baker’s plans for his Eagle Scout service project in November. I came out to Water, Wings & Wild things with my daughter, Olivia, to help Tom and Sports Editor Andy Kuppers at the PolkOutdoors.com table. It was there that Polk County’s environmental lands stewardship coordinator Tabitha Biehl introduced me to the 17-year-old Life Scout, who could easily be on a poster for… Read More »

Those of you who have been kind enough to read my blog probably know someone who hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT). You may have done it yourself, so you know it’s a big deal, no matter what part of the trail you or your friends have been on, or how much of it was hiked. It’s simply the king of America’s great trails. Tampa resident Ray Hawley will hit the trail with his sister, Barb, on April 10, in honor… Read More »

About This Blog

Kim Fatica is a marketing professional and former Emmy Award-winning television photojournalist and operations manager originally from Cleveland, Ohio. He’s also a lifelong volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, where he’s been involved with the program since he was a Cub Scout in 1970. He earned his Eagle Scout rank in 1976 and continued on in service as an adult leader, currently serving as an assistant scoutmaster for Troop 22 in Tampa.

He lived his dream of backpacking through the Sangre de Cristo mountain range with his son, Noah, at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. The 12-day trek during the summer of 2012 took them on a memorable 80-mile journey that went through areas near the historic Santa Fe Trail.

Kim earned his undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Bowling Green State University and holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Florida Institute of Technology.